Ingredients
- Beef Brisket: A whole packer brisket (12-16 pounds), including both the point and the flat, with a good fat cap. The star of the show, choose a high-quality brisket for the best results.
- Kosher Salt: Coarse salt, essential for drawing out moisture and enhancing the flavor of the beef.
- Coarsely Ground Black Pepper: Freshly cracked black pepper, providing a robust and classic peppery bite.
- Optional – Garlic Powder: Adds a subtle layer of savory depth.
- Optional – Onion Powder: Enhances the umami flavors and complements the garlic.
- Wood for Smoking: Hickory, oak, or pecan wood chunks or logs. Choose your wood based on your desired smoke profile – hickory for a strong, classic smoke, oak for a milder, balanced smoke, and pecan for a slightly sweeter, nutty smoke.
Instructions
- Prepare the Brisket: Begin by removing the brisket from its packaging and pat it dry with paper towels. Trimming is crucial for a perfectly cooked brisket. Using a sharp knife, trim the hard, thick fat from the brisket, especially the hard deckle fat between the point and the flat. Leave about ¼ inch of fat cap on the flat for moisture and flavor. You also want to square up the brisket slightly by trimming any overly thin edges that might dry out during the long smoking process. Don’t be afraid to be generous with your trimming – you want to remove any pieces that won’t render properly and could become chewy or rubbery.
- Season the Brisket Liberally: In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, coarsely ground black pepper, garlic powder (if using), and onion powder (if using). This simple rub, often referred to as a “Dalmatian rub” due to the black and white appearance, is the hallmark of Texas-style brisket. The ratio of salt and pepper is key – aim for roughly a 1:1 ratio, or slightly more pepper if you prefer a bolder flavor. Generously apply the rub to all surfaces of the brisket, ensuring even coverage. Don’t be shy! You should use a significant amount of rub – it will form a beautiful bark and flavor the meat throughout the long smoke. Once seasoned, wrap the brisket tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. This allows the salt to penetrate the meat and begin the tenderizing process, known as dry brining.
- Prepare Your Smoker: Preheat your smoker to a consistent temperature of 225°F (107°C). Maintaining a steady temperature is absolutely essential for smoking brisket. Whether you’re using an offset smoker, a pellet smoker, a charcoal smoker, or even a kamado-style cooker, ensure your smoker is clean and ready to go. Fill your smoker with your chosen wood – hickory, oak, or pecan are classic choices for brisket. If using wood chunks, place them directly on the hot coals or in the designated wood box of your smoker. If using a pellet smoker, fill the hopper with your preferred wood pellets. Allow the smoker to preheat and the smoke to become clean and thin – you want to see a light, bluish smoke, not thick white smoke, which can impart a bitter flavor to the meat.
- Smoke the Brisket Low and Slow: Once your smoker is preheated and producing clean smoke, place the brisket directly on the smoker grates, fat side up. The fat cap will render and baste the brisket as it cooks, adding moisture and flavor. Insert a meat thermometer probe into the thickest part of the flat, avoiding the fat cap. Close the smoker lid and maintain a consistent temperature of 225°F (107°C). Smoke the brisket for approximately 6-8 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches around 160-170°F (71-77°C). During this initial smoking phase, monitor the temperature of your smoker and the brisket regularly. Replenish wood as needed to maintain a consistent smoke output.
- The Stall and Wrapping: Around the 160-170°F (71-77°C) internal temperature mark, you’ll likely encounter “the stall.” This is a phenomenon where the brisket’s internal temperature plateaus and even slightly decreases due to evaporative cooling. Don’t panic – this is perfectly normal! To push through the stall and ensure a tender brisket, it’s time to wrap. Remove the brisket from the smoker. You have two main options for wrapping:
- Butcher Paper (Pink or Peach Paper): Wrapping in butcher paper is a classic Texas method. It allows for some breathability, helping to maintain a good bark while still speeding up the cooking process and preventing the brisket from drying out. Wrap the brisket tightly in a double layer of butcher paper.
- Aluminum Foil: Wrapping in foil, often called the “Texas crutch,” is a more aggressive method. It creates a steam environment, which will significantly speed up cooking and ensure maximum tenderness. However, it can soften the bark slightly. Wrap the brisket tightly in a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- Continue Smoking Wrapped: Return the wrapped brisket to the smoker, fat side up, and continue smoking at 225°F (107°C). Insert your meat thermometer probe through the wrap and back into the thickest part of the flat. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 200-205°F (93-96°C). This is the temperature range where the collagen in the brisket fully renders, resulting in incredibly tender meat. The total smoking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your brisket, but it can take anywhere from 12 to 16 hours or even longer. Don’t rely solely on temperature; also check for tenderness.
- The Probe Test: To ensure the brisket is perfectly tender, perform the “probe test.” Using a meat thermometer probe or a thin skewer, gently probe the brisket in the flat. It should slide in with little to no resistance, like probing softened butter. If there is resistance, continue smoking for another 30-60 minutes and check again. The probe test is a more reliable indicator of doneness than temperature alone, as briskets can vary.
- Rest the Brisket: Once the brisket is probe tender, remove it from the smoker. This is a crucial step – resting is essential for allowing the brisket to reabsorb its juices and become incredibly moist and tender. Leave the brisket wrapped in the butcher paper or foil. Wrap it again in a towel or place it in a cooler to rest for at least 1 hour, and preferably 2-3 hours. Longer resting times are even better – you can rest a brisket for up to 4-6 hours in a cooler, holding it at a safe temperature. Resting is not optional; it’s a critical part of the process for achieving optimal tenderness and juiciness.
- Slice and Serve: After resting, carefully unwrap the brisket. The aroma will be intoxicating! To slice the brisket properly, you need to identify the grain of the meat. The grain runs in different directions in the flat and the point. Slice the flat against the grain into ¼-inch thick slices. For the point, which is fattier and more marbled, you can slice it into thicker slices or chop it into burnt ends. Burnt ends are a barbecue delicacy – simply cube the point, toss it with barbecue sauce and a little extra rub, and return them to the smoker for another hour or so to caramelize and become sticky and delicious. Serve your Texas-style smoked brisket immediately and enjoy the fruits of your labor!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: one normal portion
- Calories: 750
- Protein: 70g